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The function of the mass media in youngsters' perceptions of the government: do media-images of the state's core-institutions - police force and judicial system - influence the youngsters' views of the government?
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Based on the assumption of a direct relationship between the well-functioning of government services and the opinion people have of their government, governments all over the world are investing in a more efficient government-functioning. However, this assumption - known as the micro-performance hypothesis - is being contested by several research findings. It seems that especially the prevalent stereotypical images of government are a determining factor in the individual perceptions citizens have of the government. These images stem not so much from actual experiences but are mainly formed through political rhetoric, citizen-citizen-interactions and the mass madia, with especially the media presuming to be an important disseminator of (government) stereotypes? Nevertheless, media are a poorly examined source of government image- building.
The main objective of this study is to explore the function of mass media in youngsters' perceptions of the government. The in Flanders confirmed "core functions of the state" hypothesis states that citizens' perceptions of the police force and the judicial system determine, to a large extent, their general image of government. This study will therefore focus on audiovisual media portrayals of the police force and the judicial system, the possible influences of those on the perceptions youngsters have of those core institutions and the consequences on the images they have of the overall government. Relying on cultivation and political socialization theory a content analysis of Flemish television fiction and non-fiction will be linked to a survey conducted twice.
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DIRIKX ASTRID
Faculty of Social Sciences
Doctoral Programme in Social Sciences
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Project number:
3H070882
Duration of the project:
01.09.2007 - 30.09.2012
Funded research
Nederlands
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